In 2023, Peter Carroll’s final season as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, 49 different players were on the field for at least 20 percent of the team's offensive, defensive, or special team snaps. After the first wave of free agency in 2026, only 17 of those players remain with the club.
That means almost two-thirds of Seattle’s core players from three seasons ago are gone. If you filter out the three veteran specialists who remain, that number climbs to 70 percent.
Such radical turnover is not uncommon in the NFL. Even successful franchises tend to turn over their entire rosters in the course of five to seven years. Teams that are struggling make many more changes.
Seattle Seahawks early roster projection features plenty of battles on the fringes
Seattle wasn’t exactly a moribund club when Mike Macdonald was hired. Still, general manager John Schneider began a major retooling with players better suited to Macdonald’s philosophy. As we all know, two years in, the Seahawks were the best team in the entire NFL.
One of the best things about the way Schneider has gone about his business over the last couple of seasons is that he did not mortgage his future. He did sacrifice a bit of draft capital to acquire Rashid Shaheed – a brilliant move as it turned out.
Otherwise, there are no major investments in aging stars. No bad contracts. The Seahawks have a relatively young core of players. They are comparatively cheap too, although that will change as big-money extensions are offered to those core players.
The bottom line to all this is that Seattle is well-positioned for a significant run as a title contender. And as you might expect, the roster will be very hard for newcomers to crack.
Schneider saw four core players leave through free agency this season. But he appears to have talent ready to step into those roles. Some of these players were already in-house. Others were acquired in the draft or in the early stages of free agency. There will certainly be more tinkering as the summer plays out, but much of the roster would appear to be set.
Still, there will be plenty of competition, primarily for depth roles. Some of those decisions could end up being crucial for success in the upcoming season. Players like Josh Jones and Amari Kight were vital members of the offensive line late last season.
Derion Kendrick played important snaps early, and Ty Okada was invaluable in the secondary throughout much of 2025. Those battles for backup spots will be important.
Consider Drake Thomas. In 2023, he made the roster as a special teamer. Two years later, he was a starting linebacker. Is there anyone like that lurking on the fringes of the roster this season? Probably. Let’s take an early look at a prospective final roster and see if anyone pops out.
Offense
Quarterback (3): Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe
Nothing to see here. The only question is whether Milroe makes the final roster. Seattle could get by with just two QBs, but there is no way they will not keep the second-year prospect from Alabama on the final 53. That would expose him to poaching from another club.
Besides, despite his lack of productivity as a rookie and obvious need for development, I expect Brian Fleury to find ways to get him involved in some gadget plays this season.
Running backs (3): Zach Charbonnet, Jadarian Price, Emanuel Wilson
The job of replacing Kenneth Walker III is not going to fall on any single player. The rookie Price may see the bulk of the carries, but others will help out. I expect it will not be confined to players designated as running backs.
The only real question here is whether Charbonnet is healthy enough to be a full contributor on day one. If not -- if he begins on IR or the PUP list – it opens the door for someone like George Holani to grab a spot.
Fullbacks (2): Robbie Ouzts, Brady Russell
Ouzts delivered as a lead blocker last year, and though a new offense coordinator could jeopardize a player in a limited role like this, I expect Ouzts to be leading the way for the running backs for the foreseeable future. Russell makes it as a core special teamer and big-time culture asset.
Wide receivers (5): Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, Tory Horton, Jake Bobo
The number could be six, but I think it will start at five. The first four are locks as offensive players. Bobo, like Russell, is a special teams/energy guy and is as close to a lock as you can get without actually being one yet.
Tight ends (4): AJ Barner, Elijah Arroy, Eric Saubert, Nick Kallerup
These are the same four players Seattle kept last season. At that point, Kallerup was a major surprise. But he and Saubert are both elite blocking tight ends, and Macdonald wants that for his offense.
Offensive line (9): Jalen Sundell, Grey Zabel, Anthony Bradford, Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Olu Oluwatimi, Josh Jones, Amari Kight, Beau Stephens
The starters are intact from last season. Oluwatimi provides starting caliber depth at center, and Josh Jones is an excellent swing tackle who can also play guard. Amari Kight earned his spot as a fourth tackle, stepping into high-leverage situations late last season.
There will be fierce competition for another interior line depth spot from recent draftees like Christian Haynes, Bryce Cabeldue, and Mason Richman, but the fact that Schneider gave up a fourth-round draft pick in 2027 for the chance to choose Stephens makes me think the rookie figures into the team’s plans.
Defense
Interior line (6): Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II. Jarran Reed, Rylie Mills, Mike Morris, Brandon Pili
(Note: don’t bother trying to decipher players and positions based on official depth charts or positions. Mike Macdonald and Aden Durde run one of the most amoeba-like defenses in the league, with players valued for their versatility. Almost everybody moves around from snap to snap. These are linemen who will line up in the A, B, or C gaps.
Williams and Murphy are a dominant interior pair. Reed is ageless. Mills came on late last season after recovering from an injury and figures to have an increased role this year. Pili is the team's best true nose tackle, and Morris is a high-energy special teams ace. Schneider has acquired several other promising interior players, but they look to be destined for a spot on the practice squad this season.
Edge rushers (4), DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall, Dante Fowler Jr.
All of these players are locks, with Hall primed for a breakout season in place of Boye Mafe. Macdonald could very well keep five edges and sacrifice a lineman or defensive back, but the fifth spot would need to be earned by a surprising player in training camp.
Linebackers (4): Ernest Jones IV, Drake Thomas, Tyrice Knight, Patrick O’Connell
There is a ton of competition for the spots behind starters Jones and Thomas. Knight should have a spot secured unless another team comes after him with a good trade offer. O’Connor has proven to be a reliable performer in limited action, so I give him the upper hand.
Cornerback (5): Devon Witherspoon, Josh Jobe, Julian Neal, Noah Igbinoghene, Nehemiah Pritchett
Macdonald only kept five corners on his initial 53-man roster last year. That is a low number for the most-often injured position, but I think he trusts his depth.  Neal would seem ready to step into Riq Woolen’s role as a big, physical perimeter corner, while Igbinoghene can play the slot and free up Witherspoon to roam.
Pritchett has developed into a solid special teamer who is improving as a corner. Rookie Andre Fuller has a good shot in the event of injury or lackluster performance by any of the depth players.
Safety (5): Julian Love, Nick Emmanwori, Ty Okada, Bud Clark, D'Anthony Bell
Love, Emmanwori, Okada, and the rookie Clark are locks. I think Macdonald will devote an extra spot for a versatile player like Bell, who is very good on special teams and whose presence will make it easier for Emmanwori to be most effective by moving all over the defense.
Specialists (3): Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Chris Stoll
As with the QB section that we began with, there is absolutely no drama here.
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